This Thursday, the very talented Haley Reinhart will perform a live on-site Studio C performance on the deck at Lord Fletchers on Lake Minnetonka. It seems only fitting that this finalist from the 10th season of American Idol should join us during the 10th season of Oake On The Water! 

The anticipation on this one has been HUGE and I know that many of you will be coming out for your first Oake On The Water live broadcast to see her (I know you Haliens are out there!). I thought this would be a good time to answer some of the frequently asked questions we get about these live Thursday performances.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: It is free! There are no tickets. There are no wristbands. Every on-site Studio C performance at Oake On The Water is free and open to the public. Of course, you will need to pay for any food and beverage you enjoy at Lord Fletcher's.

Q: Is Lord Fletcher's 'kid-friendly'?
A: Lord Fletcher's is a lakeside restaurant and bar. I would say it is 'family friendly', but definitely not 'kid-oriented'. Feel free to bring your kids, but please do not drop your kids off 'for the show' and come back to pick them up later. There is no General Admission area for them to hang out, just standard deckside seating.

Q: What time is Haley playing?
A: She is scheduled to perform at 4p, but please remember that this is always SUBJECT TO CHANGE. We are at the whims of the weather, travel schedules and many other factors. Live broadcasting is rarely an exact science : )

Q: How long will the performance be?
A: Most artists that join us at Oake On The Water perform 4-6 songs. Some have played many more, but some have also played as few as two. Many artists have very demanding promotional schedules, sound check and other responsibilities that could limit their available time.

Q: What time should I get there?
A: This is the trickiest question I get and an impossible one to answer. As this is a free event, we never know exactly how many people will show up. There are no reserved seats, just standard restaurant deck seating. There is standing areas around the bars, but not much else. The overall broadcast runs from 3-7p and the tables are usually full by the start of the show. Should you be there by 2p? By Noon? By 10am? There is just no way of knowing. This is a free show by a very popular artist. All I can recommend is that you get there as early as you can, be patient and enjoy what is sure to be a lovely afternoon on Lake Minnetonka with some excellent music.

I have been hosting these Thursday broadcasts and performances for 10 years now. They are always fun and completely unpredictable. No matter how crowded or chaotic things may get, if we all show up with the right Summer attitude it is ALWAYS a good time : ) If you have other questions, feel free to shoot me an email, but remember that many of the final details will not be known until the artist is actually on-site.

Keep your fingers crossed for no rain and I hope we see you this Thursday at Lord Fletcher's for Oake On The Water.

Cheers,
Brian Oake